Field of Embodiments
The disclosed embodiments relate generally to an orthopaedic device having an orthopaedic plate and a tissue protector.
Description of Related Art
During the repair of bone fractures, one or more orthopaedic devices, each orthopaedic device having an orthopaedic plate and a bone screw, may stabilize adjacent bone fragments relative to one another during the healing process. Similarly, during spinal fusion surgery one or more orthopaedic devices that span adjacent vertebrae, along with an intervening bone graft, may stabilize the spine during the healing process. Typically, the repair or surgery involves holding each orthopaedic plate in a desired location on the adjacent bone fragments or vertebrae and, then, using a drill or an awl making a hole for each screw. In some cases, a tap later creates threads within each hole for the subsequent placement of each screw. In other cases, a self-tapping screw creates the threads.
Conventional orthopaedic devices have an orthopaedic plate with a flat or curved profile and various arrangements and alignments of screw holes. The profile and the arrangement and alignment of screw holes depends on the specific application of the orthopaedic plate. In some cases, depending on an angle of the orthopaedic plate to an anterior body wall, a person applying the orthopaedic plate (e.g., a surgeon, a surgeon's assistant) may prefer to angulate one or more screws that fit within the screw holes for trajectory.
Disadvantages result because, during application of the orthopaedic plate and placement of the screws that fix the orthopaedic plate to the bones or vertebrae, surrounding soft tissue (e.g. muscle, tendon, ligaments, blood vessels) gets caught and winds around the drill or screws as the screws advance through the screw holes of the orthopaedic plate. A person applying the orthopaedic plate may use a tissue retractor to hold the soft tissue away from the orthopaedic plate, drill and screws. However, the use of a tissue retractor is not conducive to a minimally invasive approach, which is intended to cause less injury to the surrounding tissue. Yet additional disadvantages result because use of the tissue retractor is often difficult and unfeasible. Moreover, additional disadvantages result because the person applying the orthopaedic plate may not be able to angulate one or more of the screws that fit within the screw holes because the screws have a fixed trajectory relative to the orthopaedic plate.
A need exists for improved technology, including technology that may address one or more of the above described disadvantages of conventional orthopaedic devices. For example, a need exists for an orthopaedic device with screws that have a variable trajectory relative to the orthopaedic plate.